Chapter 36: The Returning Triumph of the Guixu Sect

After returning to his own courtyard, Bai Feiyu took stock of his belongings. Qian Shuang had given him more than six hundred spirit stones, and together with the ones he had plundered from Chen Xuan and the others, he now possessed over thirteen hundred spirit stones in total.

The bulk of the stones had come from Chen Xuan, who always carried a large amount. As the grandson of the Grand Elder, and with a band of followers, Chen Xuan was known for his lavish generosity. Whenever he went out, it was customary to hand out spirit stones to others, sometimes as tokens or to settle disputes. That explained why he had so many on him. Now, having been so thoroughly robbed, it's likely Chen Xuan wouldn’t dare to show himself in public for quite some time.

It wasn’t that his Grand Elder grandfather wouldn’t stand up for him, but in a few days, Li Zikun would be brought back. If Bai Feiyu could prove himself capable of slaying Li Zikun, even the Grand Elder would hesitate to seek revenge, for the whole sect would then focus on cultivating Bai Feiyu with all their resources. In such circumstances, would the Grand Elder jeopardize his own position for the sake of his grandson? Bai Feiyu did not believe that the Grand Elder had no adversaries among the other elders. If Bai Feiyu made a name for himself in a single battle and the Grand Elder still tried to act against him, his title would surely be at risk.

Thus, this was Bai Feiyu’s source of confidence.

In one go, Bai Feiyu absorbed all thirteen hundred spirit stones, and his cultivation surged rapidly. In no time, he broke through from the Nascent Qi Realm directly to the third layer of the Nascent Qi Realm. Such speed was astonishing—enough to break the sect’s historical records.

...

The campaign against the minor sects by the Returning Void Sect was soon a resounding success. For a time, the whole sect was abuzz; every disciple was talking about it. Everyone had heard tales of the minor sects, and many disciples of the Returning Void Sect bore a deep-seated grudge against them. Stories often circulated of disciples who fell victim to ambushes by those minor sects while carrying out missions in the Chaotic Minister Mountains.

Now, news came from the sect that the minor sects had been completely annihilated. Li Zikun had also been captured alive by the Returning Void Sect, and though he was wounded, none of the injuries were life-threatening.

With Li Zikun brought back alive, the greatest topic in the Returning Void Sect became Bai Feiyu’s challenge to Li Zikun. The news of Bai Feiyu spread like wildfire; by now, nearly every disciple of the sect had heard of his exploits. Many were curious—could Bai Feiyu truly defeat Li Zikun?

“I bet this kid’s just full of hot air—maybe he’s drunk on some fake wine.”

“People shouldn’t get arrogant. Pride leads to a fall.”

“Let’s go. I heard today is the day Bai Feiyu faces Li Zikun. All sect members can watch. Let’s see how he handles Li Zikun!”

“Yes, let’s go watch together.”

The disciples set aside their cultivation and made their way to the sect’s dueling arena. Today, Bai Feiyu would challenge the infamous demonic cultivator, Li Zikun. Everyone wanted to see whether Bai Feiyu truly had the strength, or if he’d lost his senses.

The dueling arena was already packed to the brim. Every seat was taken, and many people stood just to witness the battle. Even during the annual disciples’ tournament, the place had never been this crowded. Yet now, Bai Feiyu’s challenge had drawn the entire sect together.

“Come, come, place your bets! You’re free to bet on either Bai Feiyu or Li Zikun!”

Naturally, some enterprising disciples had started taking bets. Most wagered on Li Zikun, hoping to make a little money.

Everyone was well aware of Bai Feiyu’s talent; given time, he would surely surpass Li Zikun. But not now. For him to challenge Li Zikun so rashly seemed a death wish, a bid for attention rather than a genuine contest of strength.

Thus, those betting on Bai Feiyu were few and far between. Most aimed to win some extra resources, for life in the sect was hard and cultivation materials were precious. So the majority placed their hopes on Li Zikun.

As Bai Feiyu made his way to the arena, he was intercepted just outside his courtyard by Qian Shuang, who greeted him with a cheerful smile.

“Senior Sister Qian Shuang, why are you waiting for me here?” Bai Feiyu asked, surprised. He didn’t understand; if she wanted to watch the fight, she could just go to the arena. Why meet him here?

“Junior Brother Bai Feiyu, I have two thousand spirit stones to lend you—what do you think?” Qian Shuang smiled mysteriously, making it hard to guess her intentions.

Bai Feiyu was puzzled. He was about to enter the arena; he had no need for more spirit stones. Why was she offering him such a large loan now?

Qian Shuang explained, “Right now, many disciples are placing bets on who will win, you or Li Zikun. As you may have guessed, very few are betting on you... I can help you place a two-thousand spirit stone bet on yourself. No matter the outcome, you’ll have to pay me back the stones later, but if you win, you only need to return the principal.”

“How about it? I think you’ll still need spirit stones in the inner sect. Even if you defeat Li Zikun, the rewards and previous bets won’t be enough for your needs,” she added.

In a flash, Bai Feiyu understood her intention. She was looking out for him, giving him a chance to profit, knowing he might not have the capital to place a bet on himself. Her thoughtfulness warmed his heart.

“Thank you, Senior Sister Qian Shuang.”

“No need to be so polite. But tell me—are you truly confident about defeating Li Zikun? Even I find it hard to believe. Li Zikun practices demonic arts, and their power is formidable, though frowned upon by the righteous path...”

“Don’t worry, Senior Sister. I, Bai Feiyu, would never risk my future on a whim. If I dare to do this, I have my reasons. All you need to do is believe in my victory.”

With a laugh, Bai Feiyu said no more, striding toward the dueling arena with Qian Shuang at his side.